Closure collar for respirators



Sgpt. 12, 1950 J. D. AKERMAN 2,521,679

CLOSURE COLLAR FOR RESPIRATORS Filed Jan. 29, 1947 Patented Sept. 12,1950 t UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE COLLAR non REsPmAT'oR's JohnD. Akerman, Minneapolis, Minn.- application January 29, 1947, Serial No.724,964

, This invention relates to apparatus for effecting artificialrespiration and more particularly to a device for use with respiratorscommonly known as iron 1ungs, the iron lung being a chamber whichencloses at least the -chest portion of the patient, and which in manycases encloses the patient entirely from the neck down. It is an objectof the invention to provide a respirator collar unit which willeffectively seal the respirator at the point where the neck of thepatient protrudes through it so that there is little or no loss ofpressure about the neck of the patient, and wherein the sealing collarunit is relatively comfortable to the patient and permits him a certaindegree of movement. Another object ofthe invention is to provide arespirator collar which is so constructed that it can be readilymanipulated to engage the neck 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-30) of the patientwith a sealing action and can be readily released to free the patient.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a respiratorcollar which can be used conveniently in conjunction when the patienthas undergone a tracheotomy, means being provided for holding portionsof the collar in forwardlyispaced relation to the patients throat sothat proper functioning of the tube to the trachea is not disturbed. I

The .above and other objects and advantages of the invention will morefully appear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the neck receiving end of an ironlung respirator with the collar unit in one position thereof;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the collar in an alternateposition;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the collar unit;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the collar unit;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the interior of the device; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view therethrough.

In Figures 1 and 2 there is shown one end of an iron lung casing I whichhas an end plate 8 secured to the main casing by any suitable means. Theend plate 8 is provided with a central opening 9 through which the neckof the patient is adapted to extend with the head lying outside of thecasing.

The collar unit includes a rigid ring in which may be of metal and whichhas a downwardly turned flange H thereon, the bottom edge of the flangebeing turned outwardly slightly as at l2. The upper and lower sidesurfaces of the ring 10 having a yieldable gasket element l3 securedthereto by any suitable means such as an adhesive. The ring In isadapted to be clamped about the opening 9 in the respirator or iron lungplate 8 by means of clamps 14 shown in Figures 1 and 2, said clampspreferably being removably secured as by studs [5. I

The collar unit includes a frusto-conical flexible and air resistantelement It whose large end fits over the bottom of the downwardlyextending flange II on the ring l0 and is secured thereto by'means of afastening band I! which may be releasably secured by means of a suitablereadily releasable catch l8 such as disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, Serial Number 485,318, filed May 1, 1943, now Patent No.2,421,533, entitled Clamp-Sealed Joint Construction (Belt,Neck andWrist) for Pressure- Applying Aviators 'Suit, although any suitablesecuring means for the bands ll may be used, The smaller end of thefrusto-conical flexible element lfi'defines a neck opening lllwhich isadapted to snugly fit the neck of the patient. It should be noted,particularly in Figures 1 and 3, that the neck opening i9 is disposedmore toward the rear portion 160. of the element '16 than toward thefront portion lfib of said element.

Means is provided for admission of the head.

of the patient through the opening in the flexible element 16 in theform of a separation 20 which extends from the rearward point about theneck opening l9 outwardly toward the ring l0 and also forwardly in saidflexible element. The separation 20 preferably is closed by a slidefastener unit generally indicated at 2!. Underlying the separation 20 isa flap 22 which preferably is made of the same material as the flexibleelement IS, the latter conveniently being of relatively thin flexiblerubber. Consequently, when pressure is applied inside of thefrustoconical element l6 and said element is tight around the neck ofthe patient to provide a seal, said pressure will force the flap 22tightly against said element and seal the separation 20.

In Figure 1 the collar unit is shown applied to a patient under normalcircumstances with the frusto-conical flexible element 16 extendingoutwardly from the ring member 20 and up fairly close beneath the chinof the patient. In Figure 2 the collar unit is shown applied to thepatient with the flexible element l6 extending into the iron lung orrespirator casing I so that a substantial portion of the neck of thepatient is exposed. The position of the device in Figure 2 is usefulwhen the patient has undergone a tracheotomy and unrestricted exposureof a tracheotomy tube 23 is desired. A tracheotomy is performed incertain cases of paralysis where the throat muscles are paralyzed andbreathing is otherwise difficult or impossible. In order to hold theflexible sealing element I6 awayfrom the area of the tracheotomy tube Iprovide a wire positioning device 24 which may be in the form of amember having three arms 25 which are bowed in shape and branch in threedirections with their spaced ends 26 bent over and inserted in suitableopenings 21 in the downwardly extending collar H which extends from theflat ring I0. The device 24, as shown in Figure 2, holds the forwardportion of the flexible element 16 down adjacent the base of the neckand also holds it out in front of the neck so that there is none of thestructure which closely confines the tracheotomy tube 23.

Location of the neck receiving opening l9 toward the rear portion of theunit rather than in the center thereof provides a greater amount ofmaterial of the flexible element l6 toward the front of the device sothat the forward portion of the neck can be freely exposed, and thearrangement of the separation 20 in the element I6 is such that theclosure or slide fastener 2| can be freely operated without interferingwith the patient in the event he has undergone a tracheotomy.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided anextremely effective yet relatively simply constructed closure collar forrespirators of the iron lung type which effectively seals the respiratorat the point where the neck of the patient extends through it and whichis considerably more comfortable than a thick bulky sponge rubber collaror the like, and

further wherein the neck can be considerably exposed so that a tube canbe inserted into the trachea of the patient. that the flexible elementI6 is secured adjacent one edge of the collar portion or flange II onthe ring [0 and at one side of said ring. By reason of this structurethe collar unit can be revised It should also be noted 4 to moreconveniently fit persons having longer or shorter necks. Furthermore,normally the device is applied as viewed in Figure l with the flexibleelement 16 extended outwardly from the end of the respirator casing 1 toits full extent. However, when used as viewed in Figure 2, the collarunit is reversed in position so that the flexible element 16 will extendinto the respirator a substantial distance, thereby exposing aconsiderable .portion of the throat or neck.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the scope of my invention.

What I' claim is:

1. A closure collar for the opening of an iron lung respirator includinga rim, a flexible element secured to said rim and of such size that itwill cover said respirator opening, said flexible element having a neckreceiving opening therein, and a positioning device for said flexibleelement secured to said rim and extending laterally of the plane of saidrim to hold portions of said flexible element in spaced relation to saidneck receiving opening.

2. A closure collar for the opening of an iron lung respirator includinga rim, a flexible element secured to said rim and of such size that itwill cover said respirator opening, said flexible element having aneck-receiving opening therein, and a positioning device for saidflexible element secured to said rim independently of said flexibleelement and extending laterally of the plane of said rim adjacent theinterior of said rim to hold other portions of said flexible elementaway from that portion of said element which defines said neck-receivingopening.

JOHN D. AKERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,263,844 Hammond Nov. 25, 19412,270,313 Kraft Jan. 20, 1942 2,315,955 Slater Mar. 30, 1943

